Four arrested during anti-shoplifting operation at The Oaks mall

Four people were arrested during an anti-shoplifting operation at The Oaks mall on Tuesday, the Thousand Oaks Police Department said Friday.

Detectives said that while inside a store, they saw a woman later identified at Kimberly Mejia, 24, of Oxnard, displaying behavior that indicated shoplifting. Police said Mejia eventually left with a man, later identified as Felipe Ventura, 35, of Oxnard, and they walked to a vehicle, where they were contacted by authorities.

An investigation revealed that Ventura had shoplifted from the store he was observed in, police said. On further investigation, detectives learned the two were in possession of material stolen earlier in the day during a vehicle burglary in Thousand Oaks, police said.

Mejia was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property and narcotics violations, police said. She was taken into custody and later released on her own recognizance, police said. Ventura was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting, burglary, receiving stolen property and being under the influence of a controlled substance, police said. He was later released due to the statute of limitations, according jail records.

Another shoplifting incident later in the day led to the arrest of two more individuals, police said. Detectives said they saw people later identified as Kristen Malone, 23, of Thousand Oaks, and Alex Goodro, 23, of Thousand Oaks, exhibiting shoplifting behavior. Officers followed them after they left the store and made contact with them as they were about to exit the mall, police said. Through an investigation, detectives found property that had been taken from the store, as well as additional property that was stolen during a separate shoplifting incident by Goodro, according to police.

Goodro was arrested on suspicion of two counts of shoplifting, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools and narcotics violations, police said. Malone was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and conspiracy to commit a crime, police said. Both remained in custody in county jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

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